Medical: How to “get rid” of back pain?

CAUSES

Certain causes of lower back pain have a tendency to occur more often in younger individuals versus older adults:

Younger adults (30 to 60 year olds) are more likely to experience back pain from the disc space itself (e.g. lumbar disc herniation or degenerative disc disease) or from a back muscle strain or other soft tissue strain.
Older adults (over 60) are more likely to suffer from pain related to joint degeneration (such as osteoarthritis or spinal stenosis) or from a compression fracture.
..” 7 Common Causes of Back Pain and Easy Solutions By Jeannette Moninger fitnessmagazine.com
Are you in a world of pain? You’re not alone. Four in five people suffer from an achy, breaky back. Here are the surprising culprits and how to feel better fast.“…Whether you’re a week­end warrior, an elite athlete, or somewhere in between, there’s a strong chance that eventually you’ll deal with back pain, too. Here’s why: Everyday activities that you do without thinking — sitting at the computer, slipping on a pair of shoes, crawling into bed at night — can make or break your spine health. Most aches are caused by strains (injured muscles or tendons) or sprains (damage to the tough fibrous tissue, or ligaments, located where your vertebrae connect to joints). These injuries are typically brought on by over­use, a new activity, excessive lifting, or an accident. Other times, a compressed (aka pinched) nerve, such as in a herniated disk, is to blame for the ache…”

TREATMENT

This list is in no way meant to be comprehensive and all inclusive, but merely therapies that I have encountered or personally used.

1. Chiropractic Care

Seeing a qualified chiropractor is a wise option if you suffer from any type of chronic pain, including back pain. One study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine even revealed that chiropractic care is often better than medication for treating musculoskeletal pain.3

2. Stretching, Especially the Egoscue Method

Participants who took 52-minute stretching classes (which emphasized trunk and leg stretches) received as much back-pain relief as those taking yoga classes.4 The way you stretch matters, however, and static stretching may actually lead to irritation and injury.

Another option is the Egoscue Method, which is a series of very specific posture stretches and special exercises tailored to each person’s specific needs. Egoscue helps to restore muscular balance and skeletal alignment and is often used as a natural method of pain relief. Personally, this method worked well for me in eliminating pain I had when I got out of my chair or car.

3. Strength Training

A regular strength-training routine will help strengthen your back and core muscles, which is essential for both relieving pain and preventing injury.

4. Osteopathic Manipulation

Osteopathic manipulation, which may involve moving joints back into place, massaging soft tissue, and helping you relax stressed muscles, was found to reduce chronic low-back pain in a study of 455 people. Participants received eight weeks of either osteopathic manipulation, a sham treatment, or ultrasound therapy.

Sixty-three percent of those who’d had osteopathic manipulation reported a moderate improvement in their pain while half said they had a substantial improvement.5

People with persistent negative thoughts and anxiety are more likely to suffer from back pain.6 The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) borrows from the principles of acupuncture, in that it helps you balance out your subtle energy system.

Meditation can be a powerful pain reliever. Among volunteers who had never meditated before, those who attended four 20-minute classes to learn a meditation technique called focused attention (a form of mindfulness meditation), experienced significant pain relief – a 40 percent reduction in pain intensity and a 57 percent reduction in pain unpleasantness…

8. Massage

Massage releases endorphins, which help induce relaxation and relieve pain. Massage therapy for 10 weeks offered greater back-pain relief than usual care, according to one study, and the benefits lasted at least six months.10

Sal: I had this done (2nd time in my life) last month and it helped, but the tips (cold pack->warm pack afterwards on sore/pain) they gave me afterwards was even better.

13. Physical Therapy

People who received physical therapy soon after an episode of back pain are less likely to require subsequent medical care than those who seek it at a later time.14

14. Comfrey Root

Comfrey, a perennial shrub, is traditionally used to reduce inflammation as well as heal pulled, sprained, or strained muscles and ligaments. Research shows that ointment containing comfrey extract may lower back pain significantly,15 although you shouldn’t use it longer than 10 days because it can lead to liver damage if used chronically.

15. Aquatic Therapy

Water therapy conducted in a pool is a gentle way to alleviate lower back pain. This is especially useful for people who are sedentary and pregnant women.

Exercises to Relieve Sciatica and Low Back Pain September 04, 2015 |fitness.mercola.com“…. Four exercises to try include the following. For illustrations demonstrating each stretch, please see the featured article in Mind Body Green:7
1.Piriformis stretch
2.Seated hip stretch
3.Pigeon pose
4.Self-trigger point therapy using a tennis ball or foam roller

The video below also illustrates a simple one-minute daily stretching routine8 that can help reduce sciatic pain stemming from an overly tight piriformis muscle in your buttocks.
…”

If there is one element in our bodies that takes the most amount of strain, it is the spine. Hence, it is natural for us to experience backache. 8 out of 10 adults suffer from backache at least once in their lifetime.

Though back pain is caused usually by muscular strains, it could also be the result of

When the pain lasts for about a month or less, it is referred to as acute back pain. When it continues for a longer duration and causes deep burning pain, it is called chronic back pain.

But lose no hope, try the following ayurvedic home remedies and you’ll feel the difference!

…
Home Remedy 2
• Take 10 basil leaves.
• Boil them in a cup of water till it evaporates to half.
• When it cools, add a quarter teaspoon of salt in it.
• For mild pain, drink this concoction once daily; for severe pain, do that twice a day.

Other ways to get relief are:
• Massage the affected area with warm sesame oil or turpentine oil.
• Using a heating pad can also help relieve the pain, especially for lower back pain. Moist hot packs are even better.
• In case of muscle injury or sprain, though, use a cold pack.
• If back pain is due to an injury, apply a cold compress for a day or two. This will reduce inflammation. Follow it up with a hot compress.
• Take proper bed rest.
• Sleep on a spine-friendly mattress.
..”

As with any injury rest is important to allow the body time to heal, but don’t spend hours sitting or lying down as this could make it worse. Find a good balance and when it has calmed down a little, stretch the area out.

You may find massaging arnica cream into the strained area beneficial….

Sal: I can’t remember the last time I used a “pain killer” or “Ben-Gay” cream since I started to use this natural remedy. I got this from the local health-foods store (Pomme De Terre Food Co-Op)

DISC PROLAPSE

What is that? This is a more serious condition that requires medical attention.

A prolapse means that the disc, the fluid filled sac that sits between the vertebrae like a cushion, bulges out of place.

…
How to fix it: Initially rest is important, but once it has settled and on the advice of your medical practitioner, it is a good idea to strengthen the area.

I recommend Pilates because this targets the core muscles of the abdomen. Strengthening the core muscles will support the lower back and reduce the risk of any further prolapse.

Sal: I do more than several various sit-ups and crunches almost every other morning along with push-ups

”
Try to find an experienced teacher and one who understands your problem.”

DEGENERATIVE JOINT DISEASE

…How to fix it: Keep moving is the best advice. Inactivity leads to stiffer joints and sitting for long periods compresses them further, potentially causing further damage.

Even going for a gentle walk for five minutes can do wonders.

Low impact regular exercise is best such as yoga, swimming, and qi gong.

…

Sal: Whenever I start having “back pains” from some streneous work, I like to go to the local swimming pool and do some various exercises (e.g. laps, treading water, etc..)

“…Eat foods that are natural anti-inflammatories. Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as oily fish are especially recommended.

American Addict
Runtime: 90m 15s | Release date: 2013 fmtv.com“…Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Heath Ledger, Phillip Seymour Hoffman…famous names that share a common tragedy. America has 5% of the world’s population and yet consumes 80% of the world’s prescription narcotics. American Addict reveals the connections between government regulators, big pharmaceutical companies, physicians, and the media. Together, they reinforce treatment through prescribed medication. In the style of the “Inside Job” and “Food, Inc.”, this film exposes a shocking hypocrisy most are unaware even exists…”

Prayer for Healing From Back Pain from christianstt.com“James 5:16 – Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Lord Jesus Christ, I give You thanks for being Lord of my life. I am grateful for everything You have done for me and I am most thankful for the gift of Salvation. Father, I humbly ask for supernatural healing from this back pain. The excruciating pain is hindering many aspects of my life and I find it difficult to function on a daily basis.

I claim healing from all symptoms of back pain such as muscle aches, shooting and stabbing pain, and pain that radiates down my leg, in the name of Jesus Christ. I claim restoration of the range of motion of my back, and flexibility, in the name of Jesus Christ. Father, please heal me and grant me the ability to stand up straight.

Jesus Healed My Back! greaterworkshealing.com“…During a meeting in Roundup, Montana, Barbara experienced a miraculous healing. Here’s what she has to say about it:

I have had severe low back pain for most of my life. I have had many, many prayers for it, and I knew [that] God had heard my prayers and that I am healed — I just kept looking for the manifestation of that healing….”

Stevie – Rome, Italy cai.org“This is the testimony of how the Lord healed my back from constant pain… I had problems with my back ever since I was in grammar school. As I am quite tall and had grown quickly, I had a weak back. This was made worse by the years spent sitting in a bent position at school, on a chair that was far too small…”

This sister is giving her testimony that she was suffering from back pain from last 15 years. She got many types of treatment like Ayurveda , homeopathic.
But there was no improvement in her condition. She was very depressed. She was told by doctor to do not carry the weight. She took the treatment from P.G.I Chandigarh also , doctors told her to go for the operation….
.Firstly she could not even wash clothes. She told to many people about her testimony . She is completely healed by the grace of God. She gives thanks to almighty Lord Jesus Christ for this healing.”

Any other tips that hasn’t been covered above that you know that can help others that read this?